Quick-release valve.



W. V. TURNER..

QUICK RELEASE VALVE.

^ APPucATloN man MMM, 1914.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Qm/WM WITNESSES raap emerse ramena* erraten.,

WALTER V. TURNER', OF EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

QUICK-RELEASE VALVE.

Spet'zicationl of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.. 25, 1916.

l appucaaon med Maren e, 191e. serial No. 822,845.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER V. TURNER, a citizen of' the United States, residing at Edgewood, in the co-unty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania@I have invented new and useful Improvements in. Quick-Release Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to release valves, and more particularly to a valve for effecting the quick release of fluid from a cylinder.

In many cases, in the operation of fluid pressure brakes -or other fluid controlled mechanism, it is highly desirable to effect the release of fluid as quickly as possible.

For this purpose large ports could be provided in the operating valve, but this would necessitate the employment of a cumbersome, heavy, and expensive valve structure.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a quick release valve device having large ports for releasing fluid from the operatingvcylinder, so that a small and compact operating valve can be employed for controlling the admission `and release of fluidn'under pressure to and from the cylinder.

Another objectY of my invention is to provide a quick release valve device adapted to close communication from the cylinder to the controlling valve upon supplying fluid to the cylinder, so that in releasing, the release valve device is operated by merely venting fluid from the small volume at one side of the valve device.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for supplying and releasing fiuid to and :from a brake cylinder, with the improved quick release valve device applied thereto; Fig. 2 a central sectional view of the quick release valve device, showing the parts in normal release position; Fig. 3 a similar view, sho-wing the parts in application position; and Fig. 4 a similar view, showing the parts in lap position.

As shown in Fig. 1, the equipment may comprise a. controlling valve 1 connected by pipe 2 to asupply .reservoir 3, an operating or brake cylinder 4 connected by pipe 5 to the quick release valve device 6, said valve device being connected to the operating valve 1 by pipe 7.

The release valve device 7 may comprise a casing having a chamber containing a puslgng 8 within which is mounted a pis- The chamber 10 at one side of the piston 9 1s connected by a passage 11 with pipe anda port or ports 12 in the bushing 8 lead from said chamber to a passage 13 which communicates with a chamber 14 open to pipe 5. y

A valve' 15 having a cylindrical body snugly fits 1n a reduced section of the bushing 8 and is pro-vided with a stem 16 having a slot 17 for a pin 18 secured to the stem 19 of the piston 9, so that the valve may be operated by the piston while permitting a certain amount of lost motion. A spring 20 is mounted in a recess in the piston 9 and acts -on the valve stem 16. |The valve 15 controls 'open position.

Normally, the parts are in the positions `shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, with the shift the piston inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, causing the valve 15 to seat and close the exhaust port 21 and at the same time uncovering the port 12, so that communication is established from chamber` 10 to passage 13. Fluid can then flow to chamber 14 and thence through pipe 5 to the cylinder 4. When the operating valve handle is moved to lap position, the fluid pressure equalizes into chamber 22 between the piston 9 and the release valve 15 by leakage around the piston and the valve body and the spring 20 then returns the piston 9 to lap position. as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The release valve 15 will be held seated, since the outer area is open to atmospheric pressure while the inner face is subject to the pressure supplied to cylinder 4. 1f it is desired to increase the cylinder pressure,the operating valve handle is again placed in application position and the fluid supplied to chamber 10 is then only required to move the piston 9 against the resistance of bushing.

When it is desired to release fluid from i cylinder 4, the operating valve handle is turned to release position and fluid is vented through the operating valve from chamber 10. Since the piston is in lap position,the ports 12 are closed and consequently the small volume of fluid in `chamber 10 is quickly vented to the atmosphere. The outer faces of the valve 15 andthe piston 9 are now at atmospheric pressureand since the valve 15 is of less area than thee piston 9,A

the fluid pressure in chamber 22 acts on the differential area of the piston 9 to shift the piston 9` outwardly and thereby lift the release valve 15 from its seat. The' large exhaust port 21 is thus opened to the chamber 14 and fluid in the cylinder 4 is quickly vented to the atmosphere.

The construction above described can be used in connection with a straight air brake equipment or in industrial service Where it is desired to quickly release fluid from a receptacle.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

1. The combination With a cylinder and a valve for controlling the admission and release of fluid to and from the cylinder, of a quick release valve device comprising a piston open on one side to the controlling valve and operated by the flow of Huid from said controlling valve for opening communication for supplying fiuid to the cylinder, a

direct exhaust Valve having a piston head of less area than the piston and adapted to be actuated by said piston, the piston having a movement relative to said valve, means for.

equalizing the fluid pressures on opposite sides of said piston, and a spring for moving said piston to close said communication upon equalization of pressures.

2. A quick release valve device comprising a collapsible piston having differential for openinpiston heads and carrying a release valve l and operated by fluid supplied to one side closing sai valve, said communication being closed by movement of one piston head relative to the other upon equalization of fiuid pressures and said exhaust valve being opened by further movement ofv the piston head upon the release of fluid from one side thereof. L

3. The combination with a rece tacle and a valve for controlling the admlssiom ant/l release of fluid to and from said receptacle, of a quick release valve device comprising a collapsible piston having differential piston headsand carrying a release valve, said valve device bein o'perated by flow of fluid from the control ing valve for closing said exhaust valve and openin communication to said receptacle, means or equalizing the fluid pressure in the space intermediate thepiston heads, and a spring for moving one piston head relatively to the other for closing said communication.

4. The ,combination with a receptacle and a valve'for controlling the admission andA release of fluid to and from said receptacle',

of a quick release valve device comprising a collapsible piston having a small piston head provided with a release valve for directly releasing fluid from said 'receptacle and a large piston head operated by the iiow of Huid from said controlling valve' for mov ing said small piston headl to close the exhaust valve and 'for opening communication for supplying fluid to said receptacle, means for equalizing thel iiuid ressure in the space between the piston hea s, and a spring for moving the large piston head to close said communication.

In testimony whereof `I have hereunto setv a supply communication and 

